Gelignite

Whilst Philip is concerned about Nasser's overthrow of KIng Farouk in Egypt the affair between Margaret and Townsend has not escaped the attention of certain newspapers, who go to press with it. Margaret asks her sister to sanction their marriage and, despite Philip's disapproval, Elizabeth promises to help. However Lascelles and the queen mother point out to her that by law Margaret must wait a further two years until she is twenty-five. Consequently Townsend is posted to Brussels whilst Margaret is on a royal tour of Rhodesia and the romance is curtailed, the press being generally sympathetic to the lovers and perceiving the monarchy as being cruel. Written by don @ minifie-1